Spark breaker



Patented Apr. 3, i923.,

CHARLES E. HULL, OF ONAWAY, MCHIGAN.

SPARK BREAKER.

Application filed October 17, 1922.

The invention relates to spark breakers,

for locomotive smoke stacks and has for its object to provide a deviceof this character comprising a ball bearing supported ring carried by ahinged member attached to the upper end o-f the stack and provided witha centrally disposed downwardly extending fan disposed within the stackand adapted to be rotated with the ring when gases are forced out of thestack. Also to provide the ball bearing supporting ring with a screenwhich revolves therewith and closes the stack opening, and a secondscreen carried by the hinged member disposed above the ring carriedscreen, said screens allowing passage of gas for preventing sparks frompassing out of the stack, the fan breaking the sparks during itsrotation.

A further object is to provide one side of the stack with a removablereceptacle, which receptacle receives einders from the stack through anopening therein, incident to the rotation o-f the fan.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown inthe drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope ofwhat is claimed without departing from the spirit lof the invention.

In the drawing Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a stack,showing the device applied thereto and partly in section to better showthe structure. A

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the stack takenon line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the stack, part being broken away tobetter show the structure.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a conventional formof locomotive stack through which gases are dis- `the atmosphere.

Serial No. 595,115.

charged. Secured to the upper end of the stack is an annular member 2,to which is hingedly connected at 3, a fan carrying frame 4. rllhe frame4-when open allows free access to the interior of the stack 1, howeverwhen closed, it is preferably held in closed position by means of thebolts 5. rlhe upper side of the frame 4 is provided with an upwardlyextending annular flange 6, on which is secured a conveXed screen 7,

for preventing passage of sparks from they stack 1, but allowing thepassage of gases to Rotatably mounted in an annular channel 8- of theframe 4, and on ball bearings 9 is a fan carrying ring 10,

`which ring during its rotation supports the` spark breaking fan 11 andgives momentum to the fan as it is rotated by the gases being forcedupwardly through the stack 1. The fan 11 is secured at 12 to avertically disposed shaft 13, which shaft is rotatably mounted in across bar 14 carried by the frame 4, and has 'its upper end secured in across bar 15 carried by the bearing ring 10, therefore it will be seenthat the bearing ring 10 will revolve on the ball bearing 9 when the fan11 is rotated by the forcing of gases through the stack 1, andyconsequently the sparks will be broken up by the fan as. it rotates.Secured to the upper side of the bearing ring -10 is a second screen 16,which is spaced from the under side of the screen 7, and freely rotatesthereunder. Screen 16 also prevents passage of cinders from the smokestack.

During the rotation of the fan 11, the sparks are churned adjacent theupper end of the stack 1 and the centrifugal force maintains the same insubstantial engagement with the periphery of the stack 1.

After the sparks have been thoroughly churned and broken up the fanforces the same through the opening 17 in the side wall of the stack 1,and downwardly through the spark breaker is provided, which is ballbearingsupported by a bearing ring and in such a manner whereby thebearing ring will add momentum during the rotation ofthe fan therebylending force to the spark breaking action. It will also be seen thatthe frame t when raised upwardly at its free end will raise the fan 1land allow free ao- Cess to the stack.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful isl. The combination with a smoke stack, of a. spark breaker therefor,said spark breaker comprising an annular member secured to the upper endof the stack, an annular frame hingedly connected to one side of theannular member and registering' therewith, a bearing ring disposedwithin the annular frame, said bearing` ring?,` being` supported on antifrietio-nal bearings, a downwardly extending fan carried by the bearingring and axially disposed within the upper end of the stack, an upwardlyextending annular flange carried by the annular frame, a screen carriedby the upper side of the annular iang'e and registering with the stackopening and a screen carried by the upper side of the bearing ring andregistering with the stack opening.

2. The Combination with a smoke stack, of a spark arrester carriedthereby, said spark arrester comprising` an annular frame hingedlyconnected to the upper end of the stack, a downwardly extending sparkbreaking fan, an annular bearing ringrotatably mounted on antifriotional bearings carried by the annular frame, said fan being`disposed within the upper end of the stack and supported and connectedto the annular bearing ring.

3. The combination with a smoke stack, of a spark arrester and breakertherefor, said spark arrester and breaker Comprising an annular framehingedly connected to the upper end of the stack, a screen carried bythe upper side of said frame, a rotatable bearing' ring Carried by theannular frame, a spark breaking fan disposed within the upper end of thestack and Connected to the bearing` ring; and a screen carried by theupper side of the bearing ring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. HULL.

Witnesses:

ILA M. SMrrH, JEAN M. LEoD.

